RTG TransEvo: 14 Doctoral Positions

Jul 05, 2019

14 Doctoral Positions within the Research Training Group 2501 on Translational Evolutionary Research (RTG TransEvo)

Evolution is the central theory of the life sciences. The core objective of the RTG TransEvo is to study and promote its key relevance to applied problems. Unintended outcomes of human intervention often result from actions that influence natural selection. For example, the usage of antibiotics or anti-cancer drugs in medicine, of pesticides in agriculture, or human perturbation of the earth's ecosystems directly change natural selection and thereby affect the evolution of organisms. Therefore, the development of sustainable solutions to such emerging challenges can only be achieved by explicit consideration of the influenced evolutionary processes. Yet, to date, the translation of evolutionary concepts to applied problems is only rarely attempted. In turn, the required experimental tests in these areas have the potential to further advance evolutionary theory – to the mutual benefit of translational and basic research. Thus, the overarching aim of the RTG TransEvo is to train two main competences among doctoral candidates: On the one hand, the use of knowledge and concepts from fundamental research in evolutionary biology in order to enhance our understanding of current challenges in applied fields and, on the other hand, the use of the novel insights obtained in order to enrich our understanding of evolution. The RTG TransEvo will promote the translation of evolutionary thinking into three applied fields: (i) medicine, (ii) food production, and (iii) wildlife conservation.

Second place in the "Evolution World Championship" for Tanita Wein

Jun 06, 2019

Second place in the "Evolution World Championship" went to research student Tanita Wein in the Lab of Prof. Tal Dagan at Kiel University. Their bacteria had undergone many rounds of competition between different populations, the best in each round continuing to the next level while the others were allowed to die out.

IMPRS PhD-Call 2019

Feb 13, 2019

The International Max Planck Research School for Evolutionary Biology

is offering up to 10 PhD positions and fellowships.

The graduate school is dedicated to highest level of research and training in all areas
of contemporary Evolutionary Biology. It is a joint initiative of the Max Planck
Institute for Evolutionary Biology, the University of Kiel and the Helmholtz Center
for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR). The school offers an internationally
competitive research environment with state of the art facilities. The participating
groups are working on a broad variety of scientific topics including molecular,
behavioral, theoretical and organismal approaches.

The graduate program starts with a rotation period of three months followed by a PhD
project of three years including seminars, courses and workshops. The language of the
graduate school is English. Financial support is provided throughout the program.
To obtain further information about our PhD program and application details
(only online application possible), please visit our website atwww.evolbio.mpg.de/imprs.

Well-motivated and highly-qualified students from all countries are welcome to
apply. A Master of Science degree or a Diploma as well as a strong interest in
Evolutionary Biology and flexibility in the research project are prerequisites for
entering the program. We are looking forward to your online application for a PhD
project in the beautiful landscape of Northern Germany.

Angela Douglas honoured with Karl August Möbius Fellowship 2017

Yesterday, Tuesday 2 May, the Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) 1182 "Origin and Function of Metaorganisms” at Kiel University awarded the newly-created science prize the "Karl August Möbius Fellowship” for the first time. The 10,000 euro prize went to Professor Angela Douglas of Cornell University in the USA, to honour her accomplishments in studying the symbiotic relationship between organisms and microorganisms. Douglas, who is regarded as one of the pioneers in this still-young scientific field, opened on this occasion - together with the CRC - the exhibition "Art of Metaorganisms" at the Centre for Molecular Biosciences (ZMB) at Kiel University. Using impressive pictures, the show conveys the inter-relationships between animals, plants and bacteria, and thus makes the abstract topic of metaorganism research also accessible to non-experts. From today onwards, visitors can see the exhibition from Mondays to Thursdays from 7:30am to 4pm and on Fridays from 8am to 2pm in the foyer of the ZMB.

The prize winner Douglas is professor of physiology and toxicology of insects, and investigates the relationship between microbes and higher life forms at Cornell University. Based on the study of these interactions, she seeks to derive biomedical models, to make the positive impact of bacteria on the health of humans and animals usable. The internationally-renowned scientist is a worthy first winner of this new Kiel science prize, with which the CRC 1182 aims to emphasise the importance of metaorganism research, also on an international level.

"Angela Douglas plays an exceptional role in the new scientific field of metaorganism research. We are proud to honour her as the first prize winner of the Karl August Möbius Fellowship of our Collaborative Research Centre, and furthermore to cooperate closely with her scientifically," emphasised Professor Thomas Bosch, spokesperson of the CRC 1182. Douglas is a regular guest at Kiel University, and recently spent several weeks researching in Kiel as part of the "Karl August Möbius Fellowship", in order to exchange ideas and information with the CRC scientists.

Naming the prize after Karl August Möbius is a well-considered choice: in the second half of the 19th century in Kiel, the zoologist and ecologist discovered the concept of biocoenosis - the mutual dependency of different organisms within an integrated community. The current metaorganism researchers in Kiel, and their partners around the world, continue this direction of research initiated by Möbius, by further developing the concept of multi-organismic relationships, and its impact on the health and diseases of humans, animals and plants.

With the "Art of Metaorganisms" exhibition, featuring contributions from researchers of the CRC 1182 as well as international scientists, Douglas and her colleagues from Kiel want to convey their topic to the public through an artistic interpretation. The interaction of the body and microorganisms becomes tangible via aesthetic and expressive images - even for visitors with no knowledge of the subject. The organising team hopes that the exhibition will help us to understand bacteria as an indispensable support for the health and well-being of the human body. This is just one of a number of formats through which the CRC 1182 researchers aim to interface between science and the public.

About the CRC 1182
The Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) 1182 "Origin and Function of Metaorganisms" is working on the issue of how plants and animals, including humans, form functional units (metaorganisms) together with highly specific microbial communities. The aim of the CRC is to understand why and how microbial communities enter into these long lasting connections with their hosts, and what functional consequences these interactions have. In total, CRC 1182 includes around 70 scientists from five faculties at Kiel University, from the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, the Max Planck Institutes for Evolutionary Biology in Plön and for Marine Microbiology in Bremen.

Photos are available to download:
1. www.uni-kiel.de/download/pm/2017/2017-136-1.jpg
Professor Angela Douglas of Cornell University is the first recipient of the new Kiel science award „Karl August Möbius-Fellowship“. To the left: Professor Thomas Bosch, CRC1182-speaker.
Photo: Christian Urban, Kiel University

4. www.uni-kiel.de/download/pm/2017/2017-136-4.jpg
Later that evening, Douglas and Bosch opened the new „Art of Metaorganisms“-exhibition in the foyer of Kiel University’s Center for Molecular Biosciences.
Photo: Christian Urban, Kiel University

Kiel Life Science at the Hannover Messe 2017

Jul 06, 2017

Kiel Life Science presents cutting-edge life science research at the world’s largest industrial trade fair

When the Hannover Messe opens next Monday, 24 April in the capital of Lower Saxony, Kiel University (CAU) will enter new territory with its appearance at the fair: for the first time, the four CAU research focus areas of life science, nano, surface and interface science, marine science and cultural change will present themselves to the public at the largest industrial fair in the world. The "Kiel Life Science" (KLS) research focus, with its attractive programme of exhibits and presentations, will help to showcase cutting-edge research from Kiel, and its interfaces with society and applications.

KLS spokesperson Professor Thomas Bosch emphasised: "The aim of our research is to understand the origin of healthy and diseased processes in various organisms, in interaction with their environment. Thereby we hope to derive new options for prophylaxis and treatment in future. In Hanover, we want to present how our highly interdisciplinary research will help to solve the fundamental problems in health, environment and nutrition in the future."

As representatives of life science in Kiel, experts from the "Kiel Evolution Center" (KEC) will host a discussion at the beginning of the CAU trade fair appearance in Hall 2, "Research & Technology": on Monday at 10am and again at 12 noon, under the title "Translational Evolutionary Research to Solve Social Problems", Dr Olivia Roth (GEOMAR) and Professor Hinrich Schulenburg (CAU) will explain how the research and application of evolutionary principles can help to fight the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, or the overuse of dwindling fish stocks.

Overall, by means of various dialogue events and exhibits, “Kiel Life Science” will present exemplary insights into the various areas of cutting-edge life science research at the Schleswig-Holstein state university.
This includes, amongst others, the exhibition "Perspective Microbiome", which highlights the importance of research into microbial colonisation of the human body: the objective behind the bacteria self-tests - developed by students of Muthesius University together with the Cluster of Excellence “Inflammation at Interfaces” - is to use diagnostics of microorganisms in the human body to enable individualised medical treatment in future. In addition, the prototype of a new mobile medical app will be presented in “eHealth App: record up-to-the-minute health status by smartphone". In future, this smartphone application will record medical data in the everyday life of patients, and thus targets the development of more accurate treatment approaches for various serious diseases.

The following representative key topics will be presented by the research focus area at the Hannover Messe: transferring research results from bench to bedsite, researching the human microbiome in health and disease, and the influence of evolutionary processes on the environment and health. The focus here is on personalised medicine, the objective of which is to optimise healthcare to match the individual status and needs of the patients. Overall, the Kiel life scientists hope to offer diverse insights into their excellent research, and thereby to be able to highlight the importance of cutting-edge research for society and innovation.

About Kiel Life Science:
The interdisciplinary centre for applied life sciences – Kiel Life Science (KLS) – links research at the CAU from the fields of agricultural and nutritional sciences, the natural sciences and medicine. It forms one of four research focus areas at Kiel University, and is aimed at achieving a better understanding of the cellular and molecular processes with which organisms respond to environmental influences. The research is focussed on issues such as how agricultural crop plants adapt to specific growth conditions, or how illnesses can arise through the interaction of genes, individual lifestyle and environmental factors. Health is always viewed holistically in the context of evolution. Under the research focus’ name, there are currently around 80 scientists from 40 institutes and six faculties from Kiel University working collaboratively as full members.

Photos/material is available for download:www.uni-kiel.de/download/pm/2017/2017-118-1.jpg
Caption: A digital interactive presentation of KLS key research topics is part of the booth at the Hannover Messe.
Graphics: KLS, Kiel University

CIFAR welcomes 35 new fellows

Jun 27, 2016

The Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) unites leading scientists from various disciplines, to develop future solutions for global health, technological and environmental challenges. Over the last year CIFAR 35 new fellows and advisors have been appointed, now totaling close to 400 distinguished scientists and scholars, based at 129 leading institutions in 18 countries. Working collaboratively in 14 research programs, they are addressing some of the most important and complex questions facing our world today. Thomas Bosch, cell and developmental biologist and speaker to both the research focus “Kiel Life Science” and the Collaborative Research Center 1182 “Origin and Function of Metaorganisms” at Kiel University, joined this exclusive community including many of the world’s best scientific minds, as a “Senior Fellow” in 2016.

First international conference on metaorganism research in Kiel

As of today, Wednesday 8 June, the international kick-off meeting of the
Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) 1182 "Origin and Function of
Metaorganisms" will take place at Kiel University – making it the first
major scientific conference of the relatively new collaborative research
project. Read more...

Thomas Bosch appointed to prestigious international institute of advanced study

May 23, 2016

Kiel zoology professor becomes a Senior Fellow of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR)

It is comparable in importance with the Institute for Advanced Study in
Berlin (Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin), albeit on an international
level: the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) unites
leading scientists from various disciplines, to develop future solutions
for global health, technological and environmental challenges. Around
350 researchers from 115 institutions in 17 different countries belong
to this select group, which boasts no less than 18 Nobel prize winners
since its founding. A few days ago, Professor Thomas Bosch, cell and
developmental biologist at Kiel University (CAU) and speaker of the
research focus “Kiel Life Science” and Collaborative Research Centre
(CRC) 1182 “Origin and Function of Metaorganisms”, joined this community
including many of the world’s best scientific minds, as a “Senior
Fellow”.

The decision of the Canadian committee was based largely on Bosch's
groundbreaking research on the relationships between life forms, micro
organisms and the environment, and his attempts to investigate the
fundamental mechanisms of these interactions. As such, he is a global
pioneer in the new area of metaorganism research, which focusses on the
examination of life forms and microbes as a functional unit. “Thomas
Bosch's admission to this group featuring some of the most famous
researchers in the world is not only a huge personal achievement, but
also a great honour for Kiel University. As such, CIFAR has drawn on
scientific expertise from among our ranks – a further confirmation that
excellent research from Kiel has a place on the global stage,” said CAU
Vice-President Professor Karin Schwarz, praising Bosch's nomination.

His research is centred around the question of how organisms and the
microscopic life forms they host have developed into a multi-organism
unit during the course of evolution. Bosch will now also pursue this
revolutionary approach as part of the CIFAR research programme “Humans
and the Microbiome.” It investigates the mutual influences exerted on
each other by the human body and its bacterial colonies. The long-term
goal is the development of improved treatments for a broad spectrum of
major illnesses, all of which are caused by a disrupted relationship
between body and bacteria. In Kiel, this new area of research features
particularly in Collaborative Research Centre (Sonderforschungsbereich
or SFB) 1182 “Origin and Function of Metaorganisms”, of which Bosch is
also the chairperson.

About the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR):
Since its founding in 1982, CIFAR has brought together leading
international scientists, forming interdisciplinary research teams to
take on the toughest scientific challenges facing humanity. Currently,
there are 14 interdisciplinary research projects, focussing on areas
such as life sciences and social and technological issues. The CIFAR
research teams share a total annual budget equivalent to around 11
million Euro.

Rapid adaptation to a changing environment

Apr 28, 2016

Together with two international colleagues, Kiel-based biologist receives 900,000 euros for research

Kiel-based biologist Dr. Sebastian Fraune from Kiel University's Cell
and Developmental Biology working group has recently succeeded in
gaining significant individual funding: out of around 200 applications,
his new research project, together with six other projects, claimed this
year's funding awarded by the international "Human Frontier Science
Program" (HFSP). Together with a US-American and an Australian
colleague, Fraune will now be working on the question of how living
things are able to quickly adapt to changed environmental conditions
influenced by climate change. Over the next three years, the equivalent
of 900,000 euros of HFSP funds will now be available to the Kiel-based
biologist as well as Dr. Adam Reitzel from the University of North
Carolina at Charlotte and Dr. Sylvain Foret from the Australian National
University in Canberra for this research work. Read more...

New Leibniz Campus for Researching Lung Diseases Approved

Mar 18, 2016

- Joint Press Release -

What a week! The Leibniz Association has announced the establishment of three ScienceCampi in the university city of Kiel. This was decided by the Senate of the Leibniz Association in Berlin yesterday (Thursday 17 March). The three include the new evolutionary medicine centre “Evolutionary Medicine of the Lung” (EvoLUNG). As the first institute of its kind in Germany, EvoLUNG will receive subsidies of around 4 million Euros over the next four years (2016 to 2020). The state of Schleswig-Holstein will contribute half a million Euros to the project, which is being run by the Research Center Borstel (FZB), Kiel University (CAU) and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology in Plön (MPI-EB).

The goals of the new ScienceCampus EvoLUNG are the interdisciplinary research of serious lung diseases based on evolutionary scientific methods, and potentially the development of new therapies for diseases such as asthma, tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis or chronic bronchitis. In this new initiative, the leading biomedical research institutes state-wide are coming together, to create an unparalleled interdisciplinary research environment in evolutionary medicine. “EvoLUNG is another excellent example of the top-level interdisciplinary research in the north – and the cooperation between various research institutes. The decision of the Leibniz Association is a major milestone for Schleswig-Holstein as a science location,” said Minister of Science Kristin Alheit.

The scientific tasks for EvoLUNG cover three core topics: the first research area looks at the origin and spread of treatment-resistant pathogens in the lungs. The second research area focusses on the evolution of disease-causing genes in humans, especially those genes that give an advantage to lung diseases. The third research area investigates the interaction between disease-causing genes, microorganisms, pathogens and the environment as factors in disease development in the lungs.

“In spite of major progress in diagnosis and treatment, lung diseases are still spreading globally, and are a leading cause of death. With the interdisciplinary research of the underlying evolutionary mechanisms of disease development, we are opening up a completely new perspective on how to combat these urgent medical and societal challenges,” said Professor Stefan Ehlers, CEO of the Research Center Borstel of the Leibniz Association, about the importance of the new initiative.

With the establishment of the evolutionary medicine research centre EvoLUNG, unique in Germany, the project partners FZB, CAU and MPI-EB are achieving pioneering work in the science location Schleswig-Holstein. The potential of the new centre lies especially in teamwork/networking of the institutes involved. “The locations of Borstel, Plön and the CAU have achieved significant research successes in the areas of evolutionary theory, experimental evolution and evolutionary genomics”, explained FZB Professor Stefan Niemann, spokesperson of the new Campus. In addition, they have specialist knowledge of the functional analysis of disease-causing genes, of researching the interaction between host and pathogens, and of chronically inflammatory lung diseases, especially tuberculosis and asthma. In the EvoLUNG project they can combine these strengths to make decisive advances in researching serious lung diseases.

“The EvoLUNG centre makes it possible, for the first time, to research a whole spectrum of lung diseases from a fundamentally evolutionary perspective,” emphasised Professor Tal Dagan from the CAU. Professor Hinrich Schulenburg, also from the CAU, said: “With the help of evolutionary medicine, we want to gain a new understanding of lung diseases, in order to identify new treatment approaches in future.” John Baines, Professor at the Max Planck Institute in Plön, added: “A great strength of this research alliance lies in the balance between researching the causes of diseases and expertise in evolutionary theory. We at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology can make a contribution by examining the model organisms generally used in biomedical research from a unique evolutionary perspective.”

15 PhD positions available at IMPRS

Mar 14, 2016

The International Max Planck Research School for Evolutionary Biology (IMPRS) is offering up to 15 PhD positions and fellowships. Please check out the vacancy notice. The deadline for applications is April 17, 2016.

To obtain further information about our PhD program and application details (only online application possible), please visit the IMPRS-website.

New Collaborative Research Centre "Origin and Function of Metaorganisms" approved at Kiel University

Nov 24, 2015

The DFG (German Research Foundation) is providing 10 million Euros to support research into the interaction between organisms and microbial symbionts

Kiel University is currently setting the path for its future research and can celebrate another success along the way: based on the convincing assessment from the summer this year, the DFG decided today (Thursday, 19 November) to support the new Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) 1182 "Origin and Function of Metaorganisms". This means that over four years, around 10 million Euros are available for the researchers, who come from eight institutions involved in the joint project.

For Professor Lutz Kipp, President of Kiel University, the approval of this grant brings an additional supporting pillar for life sciences in the north. "On behalf of the entire University Board, I would like to congratulate all those involved in the CRC! The competition was extremely strong. In the end, an ambitious project from Kiel made it. With this positive assessment, the DFG also recognises the excellent work that we have been producing here over the years. This greatly helps us maintain an international level in research and innovation", Professor Lutz Kipp, President of Kiel University, said about the decision by Germany's most significant scientific funding organisation.

The scientists from five institutes at Kiel University, from the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel and from the Max Planck Institutes for Evolutionary Biology and Marine Microbiology in Plön and Bremen were able to convince the DFG with their very interdisciplinary research concept. Together, they have now formed the CRC 1182 and are working on the issue of how plants and animals, including humans, form functional units (metaorganisms) together with highly specific microbial communities. The aim of the CRC is to understand why and how microbial communities enter into these long lasting connections with their hosts, and what functional consequences these interactions have.

"We want to understand how an organism and the microbes that colonize it form a functional unit - the metaorganism. The interactions in these multi-member communities have evolutionary and ecological effects that influence the lifecycles and fitness of all living creatures. The metaorganism therefore plays an important role in the balance between health and disease", said CRC 1182 spokesman, Professor Thomas Bosch, to describe the joint project's research approach.

The CRC "Origin and Function of Metaorganisms" covers 13 sub-projects and the three main topics of "Evolution and Ecology", "Recognition and Communication" and "Function and Life History". The research projects are pooled together under these topics. In addition, the CRC also contains infrastructural sub-projects which provide indispensable services such as data management, bioinformatics or the latest sequencing technology. With the positive funding decision, the new Collaborative Research Centre also benefited from structures in these fields which had been successfully established in Kiel over the last few years.

In addition to humans, the researchers also investigated model organisms such as the freshwater polyps, Hydra, in order to better understand the interaction between micro-organisms and multi-cellular living beings.
Photo: Thomas Bosch

Alternative concepts in cancer research

Nov 06, 2015

Robert Gatenby from the Moffitt Cancer Center visited Kiel University

Robert A. Gatenby, M.D., American cancer research expert, Chairman of
the Department of Radiology and Co-Director of the Cancer Biology and
Evolution Program at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, recently
visited Kiel University upon invitation by the research focus "Kiel
Life Science". In addition to exchanging ideas with numerous researchers
at Kiel University, the internationally renowned scientist also gave a
public presentation on "Cancer & Evolution" to more than 100
listeners in the evening of 5 November, during which he argued his
provocative yet, at the same time, revolutionary perspective of cancer.
In the search for new treatments, Gatenby unites theoretical
evolutionary biology with tumour biology and clinical oncology. This
combination should result in a new view of cancer as a dynamic,
evolutionary system. “Despite the critical role of evolution in therapy
failure, evolution dynamics virtually never enter clinical design”,
Gatenby commented.

On this basis, Gatenby has developed new approaches to therapy that do
not aim to completely eliminate the cancer, but which permit the
organism to 'tame' or tolerate it. This way, aggressive forms of cancer
can be reduced and those affected can live longer - but still with
cancer.

Gatenby's cancer research reflects current debate within medicine and
evolutionary research which places emphasis on the evolution of the
disease and the pathogen when developing treatments. This approach is
being extensively discussed in science, in particular for the
development of alternative treatments of infectious diseases in the face
of the growing antibiotics crisis.

In everyday medical life, and especially from the patients' perspective,
this approach represents a major paradigm shift, as the outlook for
those affected is then no longer a cure, i.e. complete removal of
disease and pathogen, but a longer-lasting or permanent tolerance of the
illness. Gatenby's presentation brought this year's KLS series of
lectures focussing on "Evolutionary Medicine" to an end. In 2016 the
lecture series will continue with new focus areas.

Genome research for environmentally-friendly plant protection

Aug 28, 2015

International workshop "Evolutionary Genomics of Plant Pathogens" at Kiel University

Since yesterday, Wednesday 26 August, until Friday 28 August, the
"Environmental Genomics" working group at the Botanical Institute at
Kiel University, led by Professor Eva Stukenbrock, is holding the
international workshop "Evolutionary Genomics of Plant Pathogens".
Around 50 experts from roughly 20 international universities and
research institutes are coming together at the Centre for Molecular
Biosciences Kiel (ZMB) to discuss the current state of knowledge in the
genomics of plant pathogens, as regards the whole genetic information of
plant pests. The workshop in Kiel is part of a Europe-wide initiative
which aims to reduce the use of pesticides in agriculture by
scientifically developing environmentally-friendly plant protection.

The initiative, called COST Sustain, is financed by the EU programme
COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) for promoting
Europe-wide research cooperation. The interdisciplinary workshop will
focus on such issues as which genes are responsible for how harmful
plant pathogens are, how this harmfulness prevails under high selection
pressure, or which genetic mechanisms are responsible for fast
adaptation of pests to changing environmental conditions.

"Recently, knowledge about the evolutionary interaction of crops and
their pests has become more comprehensive. Decrypting the genetic bases
of these mutual adaptations is fundamental for effective, natural plant
protection. An important tool for this is the ever increasing and more
accessible data volume on plant pest genomes. Bit by bit, our research
is working towards farming ensuring food security without extensive
pesticide use", says Professor Stukenbrock, member of the research focus
"Kiel Life Science" (KLS) at Kiel University, about the significance of
the workshop and the research area.

In order to get a little nearer to the goal of sustainable plant
protection, researchers from various disciplines are trying to use the
natural resistance of plants against their pests. Against this, above
all, is the ability of plant pathogens to overcome the plant's
protective mechanisms using fast evolutionary adaptations. Current
advances in genome sequencing and analysis enable science to
increasingly understand the evolution of plant pathogens, and thus
identify promising approaches for environmentally-friendly plant
protection.

Media representatives who wish to report on the international
workshop "Evolutionary Genomics of Plant Pathogens" in Kiel are very
welcome. The event is taking place as part of the research focus "Kiel
Life Science" (KLS) at Kiel University, which connects research from
agricultural and nutritional sciences, natural sciences and medicine.

DFG reviews “Origin and Function of Metaorganisms”

May 21, 2015

The German Science Foundation’s (DFG) reviewing process of the funding proposal for the new Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) „Origin and Function of Metaorganisms” at Kiel University is entering its crucial phase: On July 6 and 7, the DFG-panel visits Kiel for its two-day review process. This peer review panel draws up funding recommendations on the Collaborative Research Centre as a whole that are presented to the responsible Grants Committee for decision making. The final funding decision is made during the second meeting of the DFG’s Grants Committee at the end of this year, which hopefully turns out to be favourable.

Led by Professor Thomas Bosch from the Zoological Institute, 26 colleagues from the Faculties of Medicine and Mathematics and Natural Sciences and from the central administration of Kiel University collaborated in writing the funding proposal. Additional support came from colleagues of the Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Biology in Plön, the Max-Planck-Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen and from the University of Hamburg.

The following abstract is taken from the proposal:

Origin and Function of MetaorganismsFrom protists to humans, all animals and plants are inhabited by microbial organisms. There is an increasing appreciation that these resident microbes influence fitness of their plant and animal hosts, ultimately forming a metaorganism consisting of a uni- or multicellular host and a community of associated microorganisms. Research on host-microbe interactions has become an emerging cross-disciplinary field. In both vertebrates as well as invertebrates a complex microbiome confers immunological, metabolic and behavioural benefits; its disturbance can contribute to the development of disease states. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms controlling interactions within the metaorganisms are poorly understood and many key interactions between the associated organisms remain unknown. The ultimate goal of the Collaborative Research Center is to understand why and how microbial communities form long-term associations with hosts from diverse taxonomic groups. We are particularly interested in the specific functional consequences of the interactions, the underlying regulatory principles, and also the resulting impact on host life history and evolutionary fitness in selected host systems.

Recent views on Evolution and Cancer

Jun 19, 2015

Joint scientific workshop by the Kiel Oncology Network and Kiel Life Science

The recently founded Kiel Oncology Network (KON) together with the research focus Kiel Life Science (KLS) at Kiel University organized an internal workshop on “Evolution & Cancer” on June 16 and 17. The event started Tuesday night with a keynote lecture on the evolution of cancer and the role of stem cells by Professor Christoph Röcken of the Institute of Pathology.

After a welcome on Wednesday morning by Kiel Life Science spokesman Professor Thomas Bosch of the Institute of Zoology, the comprehensive scientific program covered a range of topics like pathogenesis of tumors, evolutionary aspects and therapeutic implications. The event took place at the Zoological Museum of Kiel University with its special setting of 19th century architecture by Martin Gropius. The stage was set here for numerous high profile contributions from within Kiel Life Science, often triggering intense discussion between the roughly 50 attending fellow Kiel life scientists.

The different talks mirrored the interdisciplinary approach within cancer research in Kiel, looking upon the issue from for example medical, biological or mathematical points of view. To name just a few of the numerous excellent talks, contributions were made for example by: Professor Susanne Sebens of the Institute of Experimental Medicine and co-founder of the Kiel Oncology Network, who delivered insights into the mechanisms of drug resistance in cancer therapy or Professor Hinrich Schulenburg of the Department of Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics, who gave an overview of major evolutionary principles and how they apply to cancer research. Professor John Baines of the Institute of Experimental Medicine and the Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology Plön highlighted the role of intestinal microbiota in the evolution of cancer.

The workshop helped to raise awareness for the different fields of cancer research and their strong linkage to evolutionary science within KLS and also opened new perspectives for future cooperation in this field. Following the KLS public lecture also on evolution earlier this week, the internal “Evolution & Cancer” workshop thus formed another highlight among the various activities and events that together will help to strengthen KLS’s profile as a major location in life science research, both nationally and internationally.

President of Estonia visits Centre for Molecular Biosciences (ZMB)

May 20, 2015

Another official visit in Kiel: precisely one week after Kiel University had the honour of welcoming the Israeli President Reuvin Rivlin, his Estonian counterpart, President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, visited the capital city of Schleswig-Holstein. He was accompanied, among others, by the Estonian Ambassador in Germany, Kaja Tael. The official visit, upon invitation by Federal President Joachim Gauck, was completely focussed on science, President Ilves’ visits to Kiel University took place at the Centre for Molecular Biosciences (ZMB).

University President Professor Lutz Kipp welcomed the official guest. On behalf of “Kiel Life Science”, Professor Thomas Bosch and Professor Philipp Rosenstiel informed President Ilves of the content and possibilities of the research in Life Sciences in Kiel via a presentation and a tour of the lab. “We as Life Scientists from Kiel look forward to a productive exchange with our Estonian colleagues", emphasized Bosch, spokesperson for the Kiel research focus "Kiel Life Science" and deputy managing director of the ZMB.

President Ilves and his delegation exchanged views with representatives of the university about the possibilities for strengthening German-Estonian university cooperation. The Estonian delegation was especially interested in an exchange in the field of Natural and Life Sciences, which has a particularly strong position at Kiel University with its interdisciplinary centre "Kiel Life Science". President Toomas Ilves corroborated the good relations between the Estonian universities and Kiel University: "Research in Natural Sciences and Life Sciences will be of increasing importance in scientific competition in the future. This also applies for our universities in Estonia. Thus, we greatly appreciate Kiel University as a strong partner and we are seeking to intensify scientific cooperation in this field.”

Application Deadline for IMPRS PhD-Positions

On February 4th Peter C. Kjærgaard, the new director of
the Natural History Museum of Denmark at the University of Copenhagen, visited
the Zoological Museum of Kiel University to finalize the repatriation process
of the Kiel Fabricius collection. Peter Kjærgaard was accompanied by Nikolaj
Scharff, head of Collections, Professor and Curator at the Natural History
Museum of Denmark. The Zoological Museum of Kiel University (CAU) lent its
Fabricius collection to the Natural History Museum of Denmark in 1958, where
the collection still remains today. In discussions with Dirk Brandis, Michael
Kuhlmann and Thomas Bosch, an agreement was reached that a part of the
collection of Fabricius exhibits will be transferred back to Kiel along with
part of the Danish Sehested Tønder Lund collection. The return of the entire
Kiel Fabricius collection in its original composition is not practical from a
scientific standpoint. The main problem would be the separation of type series,
which would render scientific access to the types significantly more difficult.
The Zoological Museum of Kiel University and the Natural History Museum of
Denmark at the University of Copenhagen plan a close cooperation in the future
preparation, acquisition and management of the two Fabricius collections.

Kiel Evolutionary Research at the Hannover Messe 2017

The Hannover Messe started today, Monday 24 April, in the capital of Lower Saxony. For the first time, Kiel University (CAU) is also represented with its own booth in Hall 2, "Research & Technology": from now until 28 April, the CAU will present its four research focus areas. At the start of the trade fair on Monday 24 April, the "Kiel Life Science" (KLS) focus area presented the "Kiel Evolution Center" (KEC) at the CAU booth. KEC experts introduced Kiel's concept of "Translational Evolutionary Research to Solve Social Problems". Dr Olivia Roth (GEOMAR) and Professor Hinrich Schulenburg (CAU) discussed with the audience and the host Jan-Martin Wiarda, science journalist from Berlin, the potential application of evolutionary principles in health, the environment and agriculture.

They explained that, for example, the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, the overuse of dwindling fish stocks, or harvest losses due to plant pests, can have a common cause: through its actions, mankind interferes in natural selection and thus influences evolutionary processes. These actions often result in highly-negative long-term consequences, which the Kiel researchers want to counter by specifically moving evolutionary processes into the focus. "Evolution is a main contributor to the current problems, but is only rarely taken into account in the development of new measures. We want to change that, because this is the only way we can find sustainable solutions," emphasised Professor Hinrich Schulenburg, spokesperson of the "Kiel Evolution Center" in Hanover.

In addition to this presentation, the KEC also co-designed the trade fair booth of the life science research focus: the social relevance of translational evolutionary research is explained using descriptive examples from the fields of medicine, agriculture and the environment. In addition, KEC experts were on site to answer visitors’ questions, and raised awareness of their research approach and the science location Kiel as a nationally-unique focal point in evolutionary research.

The exhibits of the research focus "Kiel Life Science" can be seen throughout the whole week of the fair. Here you can find the complete programme of Kiel’s presentations at the Hannover Messe from 24 to 28 April 2017:

About the KEC:
Kiel Evolution Center (KEC) is an interactive platform at Kiel University that aims to better coordinate evolutionary researchers in Kiel and surroundings. Furthermore, under the key term of "Translational Evolutionary Research", specific bridges should be built between fundamental research and practical applications. Alongside the promotion of science, the focus of the "Kiel Evolution Center” also expressly includes teaching and public relations work. In addition to Kiel University, there are researchers involved from the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology in Plön (MPI EB) and the Research Center Borstel (FZB), Leibniz Center for Medicine and Biosciences.